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Residents press Carlisle council for 'welcoming' ordinance and data protections after local detentions
Summary
Public commenters urged the council to pass a welcoming ordinance or alternatives to limit cooperation with immigration enforcement and to address concerns about data access; council said police had no involvement with ICE in the cited incident and that an attorney is reviewing ordinance language.
Several residents used the workshop public‑comment period to press the Borough of Carlisle to adopt a welcoming ordinance or other measures aimed at protecting immigrants and limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
At the podium, Owen Parker said he did not feel safe after an episode he described as a local resident being "snatched off the street" and urged the borough to pass a welcoming ordinance or, if that risked loss of grant funding, to pursue rapid alternatives and coordination with outside advocacy groups. Parker suggested coordination with the "Pennsylvania immigration resource, center in Decumberland" as a local partner (as cited in his remarks).
Tina Ziegler and other commenters described a recent incident nearby in which an individual known to local advocates was detained; Ziegler said the person had applied for asylum and that the circumstances of how the person came to ICE's attention were unclear. Jeff Engelhart, a Dickinson College professor, said a welcoming ordinance could reassure international students and visitors considering Carlisle as a destination.
Mayor and council members responded that the Carlisle Police Department had no involvement with ICE in the incident. Police Chief Landis told the meeting, "The Carlisle Police Department has not done anything with ICE." Council members said they had asked an attorney to review the draft ordinance and that counsel had discussed potential revisions in a confidential attorney‑client session. The mayor said the legal review had been paid for and that any formal debate would happen in public when the item is placed on an agenda.
Council members and staff emphasized limits on local authority: an ordinance cannot prevent ICE from operating in the community, and it cannot unilaterally stop individuals from reporting other residents to federal authorities. Several council members said they wanted to craft language that would be meaningful, tailored to Carlisle's home‑rule status and less likely to create vulnerabilities that could lead to unintended consequences.
No vote or formal action on an ordinance was taken at the workshop. Council said the item remains under review with legal counsel and that a public agenda item and debate will occur when they are ready to present an ordinance or a policy alternative.
